Bestjobs: Young people are taking the job market by storm

In the first 3 months of 2025, the Romanian labor market slowed down compared to the same period of the previous year. Economic uncertainties, especially in the global and local political context, had a major impact on companies’ development plans and recruitment strategies. On bestjobs, the online recruitment platform, 52,000 jobs were published, which generated over 2.4 million applications. The most active candidates come from the age categories 25-34, followed by 18-24, the two categories being together responsible for 53% of the CVs sent.   Candidates are more active than ever, and technology is playing an increasingly important role in the recruitment process. In the first quarter, 60,000 new CVs were created on bestjobs, 42% of which used recommendations generated with the help of the bestjobs AI Assistant, reflecting the growing interest in digital solutions in employment. However, companies remain selective, contacting candidates for interviews with a high degree of compatibility, over 80%.   This trend creates challenges for candidates, especially in the technology and financial services sectors, where competition for jobs remains intense, especially for specialized, senior roles.   IT&C remains the clear leader in the top of the highest-paid fields: an AI Engineer in Bucharest earned up to €4,500 net, and a Full Stack Engineer, remote, up to €3,900 net. Next in terms of salary level are roles in Medicine/Healthcare, management and coordination, Agriculture/Animal Husbandry and Engineering, sectors in which the demand for specialists remains high.   In terms of job opportunities, the major economic centers continue to attract the most professional opportunities. The counties with the most jobs were Bucharest & Ilfov, Timis, Cluj, Brasov and Iasi. The market was dominated by white collar roles, specialist jobs, technicians, management roles and office workers, representing 53% of the total available offers. The fields with the most jobs were Sales & Retail (16,000), Finance/Accounting (6,700), Engineering (5,800), Management (5,500) and Production/Logistics (5,100).   “The labor market is undergoing an accelerated transformation, shaped by technology and new work models. Thus, 2025 marks a turning point in many ways, with the adoption of AI and the development of digital skills being essential both for candidates, to remain relevant on the labor market, and for companies, as a growth strategy in an increasingly competitive environment,” says Andrei Frunza, CEO bestjobs.   Workplace flexibility remains one of the most valued benefits by candidates. Companies that have tried to impose a full return to the office have encountered resistance, which has led to the integration of remote work options to attract and retain specialists. 28% of job offers on bestjobs include a hybrid program as a benefit. Generation Z and Millennial employees, the majority in the labor market, are the ones who want flexibility the most, and the hybrid model has become the point of balance between the needs of employees and those of employers.